Did the Charmoz-Grepon traverse, starting from the refuge at Plan de l'Aiguille at 2:30AM. Missed the cable car by 2 minutes and got to stay at the refuge again with a more reasonable wake-up time. Super long route with some pretty difficult climbing and exposed on the summit ridge of the Charmoz. Also did the traverse of the Petit Charmoz several years before with Philippe Gerschel and Pete Body.

I am signing on the Grand Charmoz page because there is no SP entry for the Petits Charmoz (2867m altitude). This is unfortunate because this peak is no minor "relative" of the Grands Charmoz. It is a challenging great rock climb (AD/4c) in itself especially when reaching for the top, trying to find any (barely existant) handholds at the "Livre Ouvert" pitch. To be highly recommended!

Returned after 200m: lost the correct way and the weather turned bad, so that gave us a easy choice. Steep and bold route. 5c is definately undergraded, 6a+/b on several pitches would be more realistic.

Returned after 200m: lost the correct way and the weather turned bad, so that gave us a easy choice. Steep and bold route. 5c is definately undergraded, 6a+/b on several pitches would be more realistic.
Be very careful with the nantillons glacier, it's dangerous. Belays are appriopated for abseiling, which is recommended above the old descent via the normal on the charmoz-grepon traverse.

This was a long, memorable (and somewhat crowded) route. We made it to within 1 or 2 pitches of the top, but were stopped by an offwidth (we had no big gear). The sustained pitches on the final headwall were wild. Our ropes got stuck in a wet chimney on the second or third rappel, which required additional climbing. We rapped the last two pitches in the dark with headlamps.

Magnus Åshammar, Pontus Hellgren, Mike Hunt and Fredrik Nilsson left basecamp (the top of the moraine south of Glac. des Nantillions) before sunrise and reached the summit at 15:00. We rapped off, all the way to the bottom/start of the climb. I recommend that you do the same, not risking "the bowling alley" of the glacier. Mind the risk of the ropes getting stuck though. Ours got stuck on two occations and Mike "the man, the myth, the concept" freeclimbed both times and retrieved our ropes!

Undoubtedly, the last 5-6 pitches are, by far, the best! If you're to climb this magnificent route, START EARLY. You would not want to be on the face at dusk or fall. Bring headlamps.

If you should have to bivy, there is a huge ledge at the upper half, where you'll find enough snow to melt for drinking.

On the Nantillion, seracs at the size of minivans kept constantly rumbling down the glacier at horrible speed and sound!! Be aware!

now here's a good climb!! it's about .9 or 10a at most, quite sustained, especially in the fantastic crack system leading to the summit. we did it in 24 pitches and rapped the route to avoid the notoriuos deathtraps and bowling alleys of the nantillon glacier in late afternoon.